


Happiest Season of All

by zgory



Series: Sunshine of a Friendly Gaze [2]
Category: Actor RPF, Thor (Movies) RPF
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-04
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-05 06:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3109382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zgory/pseuds/zgory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris and Tom watch a play which manages to elevate Tom's spirits.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happiest Season of All

“How were the shoe shopping masses today?”

In response, Tom just hears a long sigh which gets him to look up from his book to see Chris hanging up his jacket on a peg by the door. His boyfriend then flops down on their used futon right next to him and rests his head on Tom’s open lap. Tom doesn’t even have to think about the hand he so readily strokes through Chris’ long locks as a form of comfort. The band holding back Chris’ hair is quickly done away with so Tom’s fingers can roam where they please.

Chris takes a deep breath, holds it in for a while and then lets it all out in an exaggerated huff as his arm reaches up to play with some of Tom’s stray curls. A small smile tugs at the corner of Chris’ mouth as his eyes remain closed and he finally answers Tom’s question. “Have I ever told you how happy I am that Michael Jordan doesn’t release his infamous sneakers during the busiest American shopping holiday of the year?”

Tom teasingly hums in thought while continuing to toy with Chris’ silky, soft hair. He loves this comfortable dynamic of theirs.

“You may have occasionally mentioned here and there and here again.”

An eyelid cracks open so Chris can peer up at Tom with one eye, and Chris’ small smile transforms into a goofy (but still charming) expression. “Is that code for ‘please stop bringing it up’?”

“More like ‘ _Play it again, Sam_.’”

Chris’ other eye opens and a genuinely warm smile stretches over his face. He slightly lifts his head off of Tom’s lap to get closer to his face. “Here’s looking at you then.”

Tom leans down with a smile of his own, and their lips meet in a simple kiss. As Tom pulls apart, an arm winds around his neck to pull him back down again.

“How about an early peak at my Christmas present?”

Long, spindly fingers wrap around Chris’ thick ones and stroke them fondly before gently easing them off his neck. “Don’t forget the girls’ play is tonight. As their acting coach, it’s my sworn duty to attend.”

“How could I forget? I think I hear more updates from the girls since I moved out than I ever did while living there.” Chris sits up, shakes out his hair and adjusts his position so he’s sitting next to Tom. “They’ll definitely be the talk of the school with all your advice.” He presses a kiss at the junction of Tom’s jaw which teases a surprised giggle from the other man as he momentarily leans away.

“You helped too! It wasn’t just a solitary effort.”

“Yes, but they actually listen to you.” Chris presses another sneaky kiss to Tom’s exposed neck.

“Do you know what I would like for a Christmas present?” responds Tom with a nervous laugh as Chris continues his amorous affections. He hears an affirmative noise which is followed up by an arm snuggling around his waist. Tom pulls away just a bit more and takes Chris’ face between his hands so he can deliver his next words without any more distractions.

“Winning back the affection of two little girls whose favorite uncle I so callously stole from them.” With a small smile, he gives Chris a quick, gentle peck on the cheek and pats at his firm chest so as to stand from their futon.

He’s only taken a few steps towards the hallway when the groan of the futon alerts him to Chris’ pursuit and soon enough, thick, muscled arms wrap around him waist so as to halt his progress. “You know the girls absolutely adore you,” murmurs Chris into his ear as he perches his chin on Tom’s shoulder. “I’d think this last week would be proof of that.”

Tom absentmindedly nods his head while stroking the arms around him, but his mind is elsewhere. “I know but…”

He trails off as he remembers the day that two sobbing little girls clung to their uncle as if that could anchor him to the spot forever. Meanwhile, said uncle had looked distressed to the point of changing his mind, and Tom could hardly blame him. Tom himself had been tempted to say that it was all a joke gone wrong and that it would be he who would be moving into the backyard with Chris. The thought had died the instant it had entered his head though as the move had been in motion for many months by then.

“I still feel bad,” adds Tom rather lamely.

He receives another comforting squeeze to his middle. “Trust me. It was time.”

And Tom really can’t object to that because he’s truly enjoyed these past few months of them taking their relationship to the next level. Sure, they had the odd squabble every now and then, but who didn’t. Not to mention that the sex was absolutely fantastic and aided by the fact that there was no family or roommates to intrude.

He continues to absentmindedly stroke Chris’ arms in thought which provides Chris with a window to start playfully nipping at his neck. Tom hums appreciatively and unconsciously leans more into the treatment. It’s when Chris starts sucking at the skin that Tom snaps out of it.

“Could you keep it in your pants for a second while I go and get ready,” he jokes as he wriggles out of Chris’ hold.

“How about if we get ready together?” suggests Chris with a playful smirk as he races ahead to the bathroom. “After all, I am still carrying the stench of a hard day’s work on me.”

And Tom really has no objections to this suggestion as he follows suit.

* * *

 

 The play goes as one would expect from a group of kindergarteners. Little children going through the motions and standing awkwardly on stage with some shouting their stilted lines and others barely mumbling them. And yet parents and other family members train their camera, video recorder or smart phone at the stage to capture every moment.

It’s all very endearing and brings back memories of his own childhood in front of crowds like this, but Tom can’t help but make whispered jokes from time to time such as naughtily whispering to Chris about guessing who else will be coming tonight. He gets a playful swat for his troubles alongside the joy of watching Chris try to keep his composure since Sam and Luke are seated right next to him.

It could be his bias, but he honestly thinks Holly and Ella are the highlights of the little play. Holly strides on to the stage with a practiced and confident gait, and Ella manages restraint by not bleating all over her sister’s lines. And what lines they are! Sure, there was nothing to be done about the actual dialogue, but Holly pronounces it clearly and with some of the intonation Tom had suggested.

It warms his heart, and from the corner of his eye, he catches Chris glancing at him with a smile. Tom reaches over to hold Chris’ hand and is rewarded with a squeeze in return.

* * *

 

“Did you see us, Mr. Tom? We did just like you said!” Holly bounces up and down in anticipation for his answer making it all the harder for Sam who is trying to get her daughter into a thick little coat with snowflakes stitched on the pockets.

Ella copies her sister’s questions and enthusiasm but lets her dad bundle her into her coat which has little bows on the sleeves. The lack of an immediate answer though diverts her attention to her new younger sibling. She stands on tiptoes to try and peek into the stroller where the sleeping baby lies, but Luke hoists her up for a better view. Once she catches sight of the baby napping, she starts loudly shushing her sister.

Holly throws an annoyed look at her sister before continuing to ask Tom for a review of their performance.

“What about how the rest of us thought you did?” asks Chris with faux offense tingeing his voice.

“You always say we’re your favorite. I don’t believe you anymore,” states Holly crisply as she barely gives her uncle a glance before turning her full attention back on Tom.

Tom barely manages to hold in his own laugh while Luke and Sam actually do laugh and Chris huffs with false offense.

“So what did you think?” continues Holly as she looks up at Tom with eager eyes.

With a proud smile, Tom crouches down to be at her eye level. “I thought the pair of you were just magnificent. The best on that stage in fact.”

The girls’ parents echo the sentiment while Chris hums along in general agreement. She asks if he’s really sure and names off other kids from the play to which Tom insists that the girls were his favorite.

Satisfied, Holly nods as if that’s all she needed to hear, and as Tom straightens up, Chris rubs a hand along the small of his back as if in thanks.

“How ‘bout you, Uncle Kip?” pipes up Ella from her father’s arms as she pauses her pursuit of playing with the ribbons on her coat.

“I thought it didn’t matter since you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I care!” cries out Ella. “You still matter,” chimes in Holly as well as if she hadn’t just said the opposite moments ago.

Chris inches closer to Tom and rubs his own chiseled jaw as if in deep thought of the perfect compliment. Tom throws an arm around his shoulder, appreciating the sight of it.

“I think the two of you were so good that it should be rewarded with some pizza,” offers Chris with one of his signature charming grins.

The offer of fast food proves to perfect as both girls excitedly take up the cry of “Pizza!” Holly jumps up and down even more in anticipation, and Ella squirms so much that Luke sets her back down on the ground to join her sister in celebration.

Tom’s own smile widens as he watches them and starts thinking about his own nephews and how they’ll be jumping around in a few years.

The two girls crowd their uncle immediately and start tugging at his available arm so at to get to the car and closer to their prize.

Chris disentangles himself from Tom with an apologetic grin and allows his nieces to pull him along the length of the parking lot to his familiar used Stanza. Tom starts to follow dutifully after the trio when a gentle hand laid on his arm makes him pause in his tracks.

Sam smiles graciously at him as Luke pushes the stroller next to him. “We can’t thank you enough for helping out with the girls this week. They couldn’t stop talking about their little lessons.”

“It was the highlight of their day,” cheerily adds Luke. “And an absolute no-brainer after they saw you in that play and practically begged to have you coach them. I’m sure they’ll be the envy of their schoolmates now.”

“It was no bother at all,” replies Tom as he pats Sam in return. “I loved helping out in any way I could, and I know Chris loved having the girls over just like old times.” It really had been a lovely week with their laughter and presence filling the corners of his and Chris’ shared apartment.

His brain picks up on something Luke just said. “Did you say the girls asked for me?”

“Begged and pleaded and almost threw a tantrum,” answers Sam.

“Sometimes I think it’s you the girls miss more than Chris,” jokes Luke. Tom laughs in response as well, but he can’t help but feel a bit touched all the same.

When they meet up with Chris and the girls, the two young ones beg to go with their uncle and his boyfriend. Their parents are quick to agree since they parked nearby so the transference of car seats goes smoothly.

For the entire ride, the two girls recap the play from their point of view as if Chris and Tom hadn’t just watched it less than half an hour ago. The two men indulge them though by nodding along with everything that is relayed to them all the while smiling at each other. Tom especially notices Chris’ smile getting wider and wider as he takes in their excited chatter. Chris soon takes one hand off the wheel and reaches for Tom’s which is rested on the center console. The grip is warm and solid just like the man it belongs to, and Tom can’t help but give it a firm squeeze in return.

* * *

 

Tom sighs in contentment as he and Chris sink into futon back in the apartment. A year later and so much had changed. He’d become an uncle, Chris had replaced Ken as his roommate (and of course, become his boyfriend), and things were slowly but surely getting underway in his desired career track. He was just plain happy.

“You were right,” he softly admits while leaning his head against Chris’ shoulder.

That familiar hand reaches up to stroke his hair, and Chris just hums in response. “You’ll need to be more specific,” he replies with a smile in his voice.

Tom softly swats him on the chest before giving his arm a playful squeeze. “About the girls. Now if only my own darling nephews were old enough so you could experience the terror I’ve felt this past week.”

“They say babies are pretty perceptive so who knows,” jokes Chris in return as he squeezes Tom’s thigh before draping an arm around his shoulders.

The mere mention of their upcoming trip increases Tom’s good mood even more and he’s suddenly feeling a lot more playful. Sidling up to his boyfriend, he leans into his ear and relishes in Chris’ shiver as he suggests, “So how about a sneak peak at your Christmas present?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> This came out much later than I intended. I meant to publish this last Christmas and then I couldn't even make this Christmas much less New Years. Hope you all enjoyed it despite the tardiness.


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